By Elliot Gulliver-Needham
Coca-Cola HBC, the European bottling partner of Coca-Cola, has acquired Irish vending machine group BDS Vending Solutions.
Founded in 1993, BDS Vending has around 2,000 vending machines spread across Ireland.
The firm is headquartered in Dublin, but also has operational centres across Belfast, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Sligo and Wexford.
BDS founders David Mullan and Brian Berry have agreed to support the firm’s ownership transition once the buyout is completed.
Coca-Cola HBC said that the acquisition was constitnet with their strategy “to enhance its route-to-market capabilities, including last mile delivery”.
“BDS Vending furthermore provides a valuable building block, with proven technology and services, from which Coca-Cola HBC plans to develop additional capabilities across its markets,” the firm added.
Last week, the group reported that its organic volume growth had exceeded expectations, increasing 1.7 per cent throughout 2023.
Organic revenue per case growth sat at 15 per cent, which the firm said reflected the benefits of its revenue growth management initiatives throughout the year, while revenue rose 10.7 per cent, which it noted had been hit by FX translation headwinds in emerging markets.
